1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward a hopper car gate or a vacuum adapter for a hopper car gate and, more particularly, to a vacuum and gravity discharge hopper car gate or a vacuum discharge adapter for a gravity discharge hopper car gate.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional hopper car gates that are designed for both gravity and vacuum discharge typically have a frame that supports two vertically spaced doors. The doors have separate opening and closing mechanisms. For gravity discharge, both of the doors are moved into an open position. For vacuum discharge, the top door is moved at least partially to an open position and the bottom door is left in a closed position. A vacuum draws cargo from the volume between the top and bottom doors. While these gates are generally suitable for their intended purpose, they are relatively heavy, expensive, and complex.